Ohio teacher takes to Facebook to blast President Obama supporters

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Tuesday night’s election results were too much to take for one Ohio teacher.According to 10TV.com, a Columbus high school teacher used his Facebook page to express his dismay and displeasure with some voter groups who helped re-elect Barack Obama.

The news group is not releasing the teacher’s name because no disciplinary action has been taken by the district – yet.

A Columbus school spokesman said district officials have viewed the teacher’s post and are conducting an investigation, 10TV.com reports.

It’s not clear to us what the district needs to investigate.

The teacher may have acted foolishly in venting his private frustrations in such a public forum, but it is well within his First Amendment rights to do so. The teacher did not mention his school or his students in his remarks, nor did he threaten anyone. His comments reflected his political views, which are protected under the Constitution.

School administrators should check the teacher’s file to see if there have been incidents of him bringing his personal politics into the classroom. If there haven’t been any complaints, the investigation should be immediately closed.

We suspect the district’s “investigation” is really meant to pacify the growing group of parents and students who know the teacher’s identity and who’ve taken offense at his comments.

Hazel Davis, the mother of a student in the district, told 10TV.com that her mouth “just dropped” when she read the Facebook post. She said the teacher’s behavior is shocking, considering that 95 percent of the students at the teacher’s school receive free or reduced lunches.

“That is someone who you can’t look up to,” Davis said, adding that she won’t allow her son to be placed in the teacher’s classroom.

Calm down, folks. Try to remember that schools are places of learning, and this incident – minor as it appears to be – could help Davis’ son and other Columbus students learn how to deal with people who have different ideas than they do. It’s one of the skills every child needs in order to function in our diverse society.

And judging from the teacher’s post, it’s a skill that even adults need to re-learn from time to time.